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Soft hands, at home

Of all the skin horrors, that scares many of us the most are the dry, chapped hands. The skin on our hands is actually taking the menace of managing the household and other chores, which means taking all the detergents, soaps, other cleaning products, water. This can actually cause our hands to look discolored, wrinkly and rough. And unfortunately we are not patient or persistent to take care of our hands.

Hands end up in getting less than 10% of the care our face generally gets. But people notice your hands right after your face. Did you know that?

If you really want to keep your hand healthy and soft, I have a 3-step care routine for you. By following some basic tips and using these 3 extremely easy home remedies, you can get the soft hands you always want! But again, persistence is the key! Nothing can be achieved if you discontinue after a couple of days.

Step 1 – 2 Minutes to Soft Palms – Scrub

Is it possible to soften your hands in 2 minutes? Oh, yes it is! Why not give your hands instant pampering and refreshment! This wonderfully simple scrub will leave your hands feeling 10 times smoother in just over a minute.

Directions:

• Simply put the sugar in the palm of one hand and slowly pour the olive oil into it. Using your other palm start rubbing the scrub into your palms and hands.

• Massage your fingers, inner and outer parts of your hands with gentle squeezing and circular motions for about 1 minute. Then relax your palms and let the scrub sink in for another minute.

• Done! Simply wash out your hands with warm water and pat dry with a clean towel. The hands would be petal-soft.

• The basic principle is simple; the olive oil moisturizes and hydrates skin and the sugar exfoliates and sloughs of old rough dead cells. •

You can substitute olive oil with coconut oil which has higher concentration of fat and unique antibacterial properties to soften and heal skin.

Step 2 – Thorough Moisturization.. again and again..

This is the most important step for keeping your hands soft.

• Moisturize your hands after every wash, and keep small bottles around your regular haunts to ensure you always have near you.

• Look for moisturizers that contain shea butter, or cocoa butter or hemp oil, B vitamins, and retinol. These are all beneficial for keeping your skin soft long after you’ve applied the lotion.

Step 3 – Overnight Treatment

Try an overnight intense softening treatment using only 3 items:

• During the night, we actually afford a good 6 – 8 hours of great opportunity to take some extra care of our hands. Invest in a good hand cream. Massage a adequate amount of the cream once you are ready for bed.

• If you have very dry hands, let the cream sink for 5 minutes and then top it with a light layer of Vaseline.

• No need to worry about the mess, slip them into soft cotton gloves and Good Night.

Continue this 3-step regimen for at least a fortnight and you will know the difference.

• Detergents and cleaning agents contain harsh chemicals that can damage the thin skin on your hands, making them look dry, discolored and wrinkled. Whenever possible, make sure you use gloves when the cleaning! It might seem quite a chore in the beginning but once a habit you will reap the benefits.

• The same goes for dusting or gardening. Dust and soil can have drying effect on hands. So, gloves again.

• Take a good hand cream and apply before going to bed! Top it with a light layer of Vaseline. Slip them into soft cotton gloves. Your hands will thank you in the morning!

Lovely hand, inside out:

• It’s true beyond doubt that what you eat, that is put inside, is what will reflect on the outside. Eat nutrient-rich natural foods for glowing skin. Foods like fruits, green vegetables, nuts, will give you the necessary nutrients to give your skin a natural glow.

• Not drinking enough water can cause your skin to get dry, rough and patchy. Our bodies are made up of 70% water so if you’re not getting enough water, it will show up on your skin first. If you drink water only after you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

Massage:

• When applying palm scrubs or hand cream, you can also massage your hands together in a gentle relaxing manner. Gently massage your fingers, palms and top of your hands. This will help the ingredients sink in and also improve blood circulation

Bye-bye pigmented patches:

• Are your hands discolored, darker than your face and aged looking? Slather on the Sunscreen! You’d be surprised how many people apply sunscreen on their faces, but fail to adequately protect the skin on their hands. Before you head out, generously apply sunscreen on your hands reaching every corner. And yes, washing your hands means you need to reapply!

Don’t miss, this post on patchy skin. These remedies work for hand or any part of the body.

• Beauty experts will tell you how bad hot water is for your skin. Washing frequently in hot water can dry out the skin on your hands and encourage formation of wrinkles.

• But not too cold! On the other end of the scale, extremely cold water isn’t good for your skin either, it can break the tiny capillaries under your skin making it look discolored, pale or unhealthy. It also dries out skin and not moisturizing can cause premature aging.

Warnings:

• Keep in mind any skin allergies or conditions. If you have painful rashes or lesions go to a dermatologist without delay.

• Test out lotion on a patch of skin before you apply to your entire hand. Discontinue use of any product(s) if it irritates you.